Automobile door locking control



R. F. PEO 2,197,503

AUTOMOBILE DOOR LOCKING CONTROL Filed D80. 8, 1938 pril 16, 1940.

as lz RALPH 5 P50 MAI/5 Patented Apr. 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Engineering porationotNewYu-k Male, N. Y., a cor- Appiicaiion December 8, 1938, Serial No. 244,532

This invention relates to automobile door locking control, particularly to the control of thelockingandunlockingiromtheinterior oi an automobile of the rear doors thereof.

In automobiles. the rear doors are usually provided with handles connected by levers or link age with the latch bolt of the door lock so that usually downward swing of the inside handle will effect withdrawal of the latch bolt so that the 0 door may be swung open. oftentimes it becomes desirable to prevent uniatching of the rear doors by occupants of the rear seat, as, for example, children, and an important object of this invention is to provide very simple but eilective means for preventing unlatching of a rear door, either purposely or accidentally, by such occupants of the rear seat.

In automobiles, the inside handle on a rear door is usually secured directly to the outer end 01 a spindle which at its inner end is connected by leverage or linkage with the latch bolt of the door lock so that swing of the handle will turn the spindle for withdrawal of the latch bolt. In accordance with my invention, the handle is not directly rigidly secured to the spindle, but a simple fitting is interposed comprising an element rigidly secured to the outer end 01' the spindle and to which element the handle is secured against axial displacement and keyed thereto by a suitable key so that swing of the handle will be communicated to the spindle, but with the key removable so that swing of the handle will not be communicated to the spindle and withdrawal of the latch bolt therefore prevented. In other words, the handle is normally keyed to the spindle for normal operation of the handle to withdraw the latch bolt, but with the key removable by the driver or an attendant so that any swing or rotation oi the handle will not be communicated to the spindle and withdrawal of the latch bolt and opening of the door will be prevented.

The various features of my invention are shown embodied in the structure disclosed on the drawing, in which drawing Figure l is a plan view, partly in section, showing the handle structure applied to a door;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the handle structure partly in section;

Figure 3 is a section on plane III-411 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section on plane IV-IV of Figure 2;

FIgureSisaninnersideviewoi'ahandle showing a modified arrangement: and

ing diametrically across its inner end, and the unlocking of the door. However, when the key is Figure 6 is a sectional view of the modified arrangement.

Referring to Figure 1, ll represents one 01' the rear doors of an automobile having the usual locking mechanism comprising a latch boltll 5 connected by a link l2 with the lever arm I! secured to the inner end of a spindle it which at its outer end carries the inside handle structure H, the arrangement being usually such that downward swing of the handle structure will eiiect withdrawal of the latch bolt to permit the door to be swung open.

In accordance with my invention, instead of permanently securing the handle structure to the spindle, I provide a releasable connection which, when released, will permit rotation or swing of the handle structure but without tuming of the spindle, in other words, freeing the handle from the spindle. In the arrangement shown for accomplishing such operation, a cup or socket member I5 has a reduced extension or neck It with a polygonal bore II for receiving the outer end of the spindle ll, the socket structure being rigidly secured, as by a pin it, passing through the neck It and the spindle.

The cup or socket part I! has a cylindrical bore for receiving the cylindrical huh I! extending from the grip lever or handle 20. To secure the handle against axial displacement in the socket I5, the hub l9 and the wall of the socket l5 may be provided with opposed circumferentially extending channels 2| and 22, respectively, for receiving a spring or snap ring 23.

The handle hub l9 has a channel 24 extendsocket l5 has diametrically opposite passageways 25 arranged to align with the channel 24, when the handle is in its normal operative position, for reception of a key 25 which may be in the form of a pin. When this key is inserted, the handle will be secured to the socket l5 and the spindle it so that swing of the handle will turn the spindle, downward swing of the handle then resulting in withdrawal of the latch bolt II for withdrawn, the handle is free, and swing thereof will result only in rotation of the handle huh I! in the socket IS without eflecting any movement of the spindle or of the latch bolt, manipulation of the handle being ineffective to withdraw the latch bolt so that the door cannot be unlocked from the inside 01' the vehicle. Thus, when it is desired to prevent opening of the rear doors by occupants of the rear seat, such as children, the driver or attendant need only withu draw the key 26, and to restore normal conditions, the key is reinserted.

In order that the key may be more readily manipulated, it may be provided with a head 21 forming a grip, and this head may be rectangular as shown, with its inner edge concave to fit the outer side of the socket it, such engagement serving to hold the key in a normal position.

Detent means may also be provided for releasably holding the key in service position and preventing rattling or accidental displacement thereof. The detent shown is in the form of a spring plate 28 paralleling the inner end of the key receiving channel 24 in the handle hub, the ends 29 of the spring plate seating on shoulders 30 extending alongside of the channel 24 so that the ends will be clamped between the end of the handle hub l9 and the annular shoulder 3| between the socket member body I! and its reduced end it. At its central portion the detent plate has the V-shaped deflection 32 projecting into the channel 24 for spring pressure engagement with the key 26 when the key is inserted, and the key may have the circumferential detent groove 33 for receiving the deflection, the key being thus held by the spring detent plate against rattling and against accidental displacement from the keyway.

An escutcheon plate of fitting 34 may be interposed between the door and the outer shoulder 35 of the socket member l and may be secured to the door as by screws 36.

In the arrangement of Figures 1 to 4, the hub ill of the handle is shown solid. As shown by the modified arrangement of Figures 5 to 6, the same handle which ordinarily would be secured directly to the spindle could be used, so that, for the purposes of my invention, the handle could be removed from the spindle and a socket structure interposed. The handle hub will then have the polygonal bore 31 which ordinarily directly receives the spindle to be secured thereto by a pin 38 extending through the diametrically opposite passageways 39, in the handle hub.

After removal of the handle from the spindle,

a socket structure l5, such as shown in Figures 1 to 4, is secured to the spindle by the pin 38 which had secured the handle directly to the spindle. Before'applying the handle hub into the socket I 5, the inner end of the handle hub is provided with recesses 40 in which the ends of the spring detent plate 28 engage. The passages 39in the handle hub which had received the pin for securing the handle directly to the spindle, will cooperate with the passages 25 provided in the socket member I5 to receive the key 26, the spring plate then engaging with the key to hold it against the displacement or rattling. I

I thus provide a very simple but effective arrangement for rendering the inside handles on the rear doors of an automobile inoperative for unlatching of the rear doors by occupants of the rear seat, the insertion or bodily removal of a key determining the operativeness or inoperativeness of the handles.

' I have shown and described practical embodiments of my invention but I do not desire to be limited to the exact construction and arrangement shown and described, as changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim as follows:

1. In combination, a lock operating spindle, a handle therefor, a fitting secured to the spindle and having a cylindrical bore in its inner end, said handle having a hub engaging in said bore to be journaled therein for rotation of the ham dle independently of said fitting and spindle, means holding said handle against axial displacement in said bore, said fitting and hub having keyways, a pin extending through said keyways for locking said handle and fitting together whereby rotation of said handle will effect rotation of said spindle, and a spring detent within said fitting yieldably engaging said pin to hold it against accidental displacement from said keyways but permitting withdrawal thereof from said keyways whereby rotation of said handle will then be ineffective to rotate said spindle.

2. In combination, a lock operating spindle, a handle therefor, a fitting member secured to the spindle and having a cylindrical bore at its end, said handle having a hub member engaging in said bore to be journaled therein for rotation of the handle independently of said fitting and spindle, means holding said handle against axial displacement in said bore, said members having keyways, a pin extending through said keyways for locking said members together whereby rotation of said handle will effect rotation of said spindle, said pin having a detent abutment, and a detent spring held between said members for engagement with said pin abutment for holding said pin in said keyways but permitting withdrawal of said pin from said keyways whereby rotation of said handle will then be ineifective to rotate said spindle.

3. In combination, a lock operating spindle, a handle therefor, a fitting member secured to the spindle and having a cylindrical bore in its end, said handle having a hubmember engaging in said bore to be journaled therein for rotation of the handle independently of said fitting member and spindle, means holding said handle against axial displacement in said bore, said members having keyways, a pin extending through said keyways for locking said members together whereby rotation of said handle will effect rotation of said spindle, said pin having a detent groove, and a spring plate extending diametrally in said fitting member and held in place by said'hub member and having a deflection for engaging with said detent groove to hold said pin in said keyways but permitting withdrawal of said pin from said keyways whereby rotation of said handle will then be ineffective to rotate said spindle.

RALPH F. PEO. 

